Pneumatic flue-expander.



No. 888,239. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. H. KELLY.

PNEUMATIC PLUE EXPANDER.

APPLICATION FILED Amma. 1907.

ATTORNEYS ggg..

' hereinafter described and HARRY KELLY, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

PNEUMATIC FLUE-ExPANDEi..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Application led. August -28, 1907. Serial No, 890,485.

construction for la flue expander, which will be actuated b air pressure, will efectually afx a flue en in the sheet, will avoid all jar and percussion thereupon, and obviate the contingency of a ilue creepin endwise while the operation of expanding t eends thereof is being conducted.

The invention` consists in the novel construction and combination of arts, as is defined in the appended claims.

Reference-is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in whiehsimilar characters of reference indicate-corresponding parts in allthe views. Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved lue expander, substantially on the line 1-1 in Fig. 3, Fig. 2 is a transverse, artly sectional view of detalls, substantia y on the line 2--2 in F1 1; Flg. 3

4is an enlarged-transverse sectiona view, substantiallyon the line 3 3 in Fig. 1l; 4 is alongitudinal sectionalview on the line 4--4- in Fig. 5, showing a slightly changedmeans for holdin the swaging dies in posltionfor use and ig. 5 is a transverse sectionalview, substantially on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

The invention briefly described, oomprises a cylinder, a piston slidablel thereln, a rod extended from the pistonl at one `-end of the cylinder, an expansible sectional die, means for su porting the die-projected from one end of the cylinder, a tapered pin connected at its smallerfend with the outer end of the iston rod, and means for conducting air un er pressure into the cylinder at each end of the piston head alternately, and slmultaneously exhaustingthe air pressure at the opposite end thereof, whereby the die is expanded inl a flue end by traverse of the tapered pin in one direction, and retracted by a compression spring when the pm 1s moved in ano posite direction.

. Init e drawings, 5 indicates a hollow cylinder of suitable capacity, and 6A a` piston slidable in the true bore lof the cylinder and forming an air-tight joint therewith.

From the center of the piston 6 a iston rod 7 projects through a packing box 6 central in one head 6a of the cylinder, the rod-having sufficient length to permit a proper reciprocation o'f the piston 6. A valve chest 8 1s formed or secured on the cylinder 5, having' a preferably cylindrical valve 8a therein formed with ports a-a that may be caused to register alternately-with air ducts 13"-11 thatl respectively extend from the bore of the chest 8 toward opposite ends of the-cylinder 5, said ducts intersecting the bore ofthe cylinder near each head thereof, as shown at b2 in-`Fig. 1.' An air inlet 'pipe c, which' may be extended to a source of compressed air, opens into the bore of the chest 8. Between the adjacent ends of the air ducts ban exhaust opening d is formed laterally inthe chest 8 below the valve 8, Said opening, tha/t intersects theI bore of thechest, may be conly are integr-ally connected together by a collar e said collar having a central opening e. A swaging die 10, for expanding the end of a flue is a det'ail of the improvement, and as shown in Figs. 1- and 3, consists of a' plurality of similar segments g, that havewedge shaped bodies, which when assembled form a sub= stantially cylindrical die havin "a tapered bore and a peripheral surface' t e'shape of which is indicated inFig. 1. j Preferably the composite die 10 is formed of eight' segments; Y as represented in- Fig; 3; and at' one end thereof a bead h is formed, that inv use is ine sorted into the end of a flue that is to be expanded. Near the op ositeend of the' die a peripheral groove i is ormed therein, which receives the laterally bent flanges il upon a series of similar clamps i2, that are curvedas shown in Fig. 3. lnthe'periphery of the `collar e a circumferential groove isformed,

and on opposite ends of; the clamps 'i2 anges i, similar to the flanges 'il are formed and are 'introduction within a iiue.

embedded in said circumferential groove. A shallow groove is formed in the exterior surface of the series of curved clamps between the ends ofthe same, and in said groove -a contractile hoop-like spring '114 is embedded, which serves to hold the clamps t2 in clasped engagement with the sections of the die 10, that is thus compressed into normal form for i A pin` 11, for expansion of the sectional die 10, is employed, having i.) a gradually tapered body which is circular in cross section and of such dimensions as adapt it for eifective service. The smaller end of the pin 11 is threaded as shown at m in Fig. 1, and when arranged for use, is lirst assed through the die 10 and then through) the opening e1, one end of a sleeve nut m1 being mounted upon said end of the pin. The outer end of the piston rod 7 is threaded asshown at m2 and receives the other end of the'sleeve nut 'm1,' thus connecting the rod and pin in axial alinement with each other.

In operation it will be observed in Fig. 1

that the die 10 is contracted for free insertion into the end of a flue for itsexpansion, the iiue being omitted from the drawings. The piston rod 7 is drawn out of the cylinder 5, thus disposing the piston 6 near the front head of the cylinder, and adjacent to the termination b2 of the airduct b. lt will be seen that if the lever 8b is moved into the position shown in Fig. 1, the valve Si* will have its port a, so disposed as to connect the air inlet pi e c with the air duct b that extends forwarfy, so that the pressure of compressed air will be imposed upon the forward end of the piston 6. The ressure of the inducted air 1s so graduate by adjustment of the valve 8a, that the piston will be moved slowly away from the front head of the cylinder 5 and correspondingly draw the pin 11 through the sectional die 10. Obviously the sliding of the pin will cause the die sections g to spread apart and the diameter of' the bead h to be correspondingly increased, which will embed thelbead in the inner surface of a flue in which the die may have been inserted. To perfect the operation of fsetting the flue end in a iiue sheet, the valve 8a should be 'rocked by the lever 8b so as to push forward the iston that has been pressed rearward, whic will shove the pin '11 into the .position shown in Fig. 1, and thus permit the spring 'i4 to close the sectional die 10. The entire device may now be turned so as to dispose the sections of the die at points intermediate' the indented portions of the iiue; thenthe Aexpansion of the die is repeated, which will Y force the bead h into the flue and ex and the intermediate portions mentioned. f found desirable, the tool may be changed in position several times and effect a perfectly reliable, continuous joint between the liuc end and iue sheet. I

In Figs. 4 and 5, the means for holding the die'sectlons g in operative positions on the frame bars 9, 9, as shown, consists info a thread e2 on the exterior of the collar e and providing a cap nut n mountedl on said thread. On the capped end of the nut 11 an inwardly extended annular llange n is formed, which is entered within the peripheral oove n2 formed in the end portion 'n' of the 'e sections g, and in said groove is seated a `circular spring n3. The groove 'n2 is deep enough to receive the said spring that occupies the bottom of said circumferential groove and clasps the die sections g, holding them in contact with each other at their e es.

t will be seen that in operation, the taperedepin 11 will by traverse of the rod 7 into the cylinder 5, cause an expansion of the die sections g, and eHect the setting of a flue end in a flue sheet as heretofore described with regard to the construction shownin Figs. 1` and 3.

It will be a parent that the employment of the improve flue expander will eect the expansion of flue ends in iiue sheets, without percussion such as results from the use of ordinary expanders that are operated by blows from a hammer, so that the flue will not be injured and will be more durable than if the metal'should become crystallized due to vibrations resulting from percussion.

It is fre uently the case that lues move endwise, w en the operation of setting them is conducted with an ordinary flue setting device that expands by use of blows from a .v

hammer. Should this occur, the ue must be removed by cutting it out, and as this renders it too short it must be pieced out before it can be used.

It will be seen that'the flue expander hereinbefore described, will by avoidance of jar,

eect the expansion of iue ends without danger of their moving endwise, and enable perfect workto be done with the tool in a rapid, non-laborious manner.

, Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. 'A flue expander, comprising a cylinder,

a pist-on inthe cylinder, means for admitting a motive' agent alternately to opposite ends of the cylinder, abracket rojecting from one end of the cylinder and aving a central openin at its outer end, an expansible die, one en of which is adapted to entera flue, means havin interlocking 'engagement with the die and racket and securing them tomeans for admitting a motive agent alternately to opposite ends of the cylinder, of arms projecting from one end of the cylinder and connected at their outer ends by a collar having a` central opening, an expansible die having a peripheral groove and a bead at its end and adapted to enter a flue, means engaging the collar and the groove of the die and securing them together, a spring for normally closing the die, and a tapering pin extending through the die and opening of the collar and having its end detachably secured to the piston rod.

3. In a flue expander, the combination with a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, and means for admitting a motive agent alternately to opposite ends of the cylinder, of arms projecting from one end of the cylinder and connected at their ends by a collar havinlT a central opening and a peripheral groove, a ie formed of a plurality of slmilar sections and having a bead at its outer end and a peripheral groove at its inner end, a plurality of clamps having flanged ends engaging the grooves ofthe collar and die, a spring en- .circling the clamps, and a tapering pin eX- tending through the die and collar and havino its ends secured to the piston rod.

n testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HARRY KELLY.

Witnesses:

C S. GIFFEE, L. A. MITCHEL. 

